Fox in the Woods
by Tanoha
Summary: In a small isolated town, there's a fox in the woods. Hinata's found him.


Hi. I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto does.

* * *

A small blond boy walked quietly among the trees. Beneath the chill, he was naturally tan with blue eyes fit for summer skies. However, in the midst of a particularly cold fall they lacked color, fading in with the clouds. His small hands gripped the straps of his orange backpack, and if the trees weren't moving past him, you wouldn't even be able to tell he was moving.

He glanced up into the clouded grey sky, straining his eyes past the tree branches. Oh yes, this child loved going to school. The demon could definitely tell so, the way his features filled with dread as he saw the forest beginning to clear, and the backs of buildings beginning to show.

"Good to see you today, Naruto." The daughter of the local pharmacist called at him, teeth as white as ever. "We missed you yesterday morning," She continued, letting him in through the back door. Naruto usually came by every morning to purchase a glass of orange juice. He used to simply walk in between the alleyway to get to the main road, but ever since Ayame had discovered this little boy walking out of the woods behind their shop, she had insisted he come in through their back door. Teuchi smiled at the boy as he wiped the counter, Naruto quickly slipping under it and pointing at the pitcher which sat freshly made, condensation dripping off the sides.

Ayame, after locking the back door securely, removed the same glass Naruto used every morning from the cabinet in the back, walking to the front of the shop where she poured the orange juice. No one ever came in on mornings, not since a certain blond child started appearing there. However, this was simply blamed on the newer shop down the street, something about their live bait being raised properly. Teuchi simply accepted the excuse, ignoring the fact that the moment Naruto left the shop people would come right in.

This was never questioned, not once. The only time Naruto could not be avoided would be at school, which didn't start for another twenty minutes. The blond child knew far too well what would happen if he showed up early.

Hung high over the shelf of jams, the clock's larger hand began to move. Naruto's eyes had already been on it, watching it's every move with large, almost unblinking eyes. The emptiness in his stomach being replaced with an awful loathing. He cast his eyes away, eagerly reaching for the glass and taking a large gulp, mouth breaking out into a grin after finishing it. "Thank ya' Ayame, it was really good!" He beamed, the once almost dead looking child turning into a ray of sunshine.

The shop keeper's daughter lit up with mock joy, thumping her chest with a fist. "I take pride in making in the best orange juice in town!" She huffed, ruffling his hair with her free hand. Naruto smiled, just as his eyes glanced at the clock again. His smile weakened, but it didn't completely fall. "W-well, I gotta head off, so I better get going ya' know." He sat the glass back on the counter along with fifty-cents, turning and heading towards the door. Before he could get to it, Ayame opened it for him, the ding of the shop bells breaking the short-lived silence. "Have a good day at school." She said, watching him slip past her quickly, his demeanor betraying his urgency. His shoulders seemed to slump in their movement, Ayame's well-meaning smile slipping from her face. An expression of pity forming across her pleasant features. "What an unlucky boy." She murmured as she let the door close behind her, the sudden ding causing her to flinch. "He's strong though, he'll last longer than the last one."

Ayame paused for a moment. "Do you think he'll make it to eight?" She asked hesitantly, her dark brown eyes cast on to the dusty floor of the shop.

Teuchi coughed in response, swallowing hard. "Don't get your expectations up. I know you've let him grow on you, but..."

Ayame smiled bitterly, closing her eyes. "His coffin was prepared just last month..."

* * *

On the other side of town, a surprisingly tiny girl stood under her father. "Y-yes." She stuttered, forcing herself to stand straight. She couldn't look at him directly, so she instead stared at the clouds above. Her pale lavender eyes filled with the innocence of childhood, and the wonder of another day at school. Hinata Hyuga was not the most popular girl in the elementary class of Konoha, but she was definitely the richest. Even the most prideful of its citizens questioned why the prestigious Hyuga would live there, or even allow their eldest Daughter attend the elementary class with her cousin born out of wedlock, Neji.

Her Father was never ashamed to say it was because she was simply too stupid to get into their preferred boarding school with her younger sister Hanabi. He always tried to feign distaste but... It could never hide the disappointment in his tone.

Sighing, Hiashi pointed towards the cab, stomping his foot before Hinata actually reacted. She crawled into the back seat beside her cousin, who scooted away from her, still harboring the wound of being called a bastard by Hinata's father. He scowled at Hinata before spitefully turning his neck towards the window. Oh how he truly hated morning rides to school with his ungrateful cousin. The way she hardly even noticed his presence was obviously on purpose. Or maybe she was just as stupid as her father repeated so often. Neji's expression softened a little, but he remained stiff.

As usual, the car ride was utterly silent.

* * *

Hinata was wearing her favorite dress, the dark blue one with the crisp white collar. It wasn't as pretty, or as colorful as her friends', but she liked the way it matched her raven colored hair. Sakura, a sailor's daughter, was going on about how one day she was going to be a princess, and that Sasuke was going to be her prince, or well, until Ino showed her vast disagreement by dropping a handful of mud over Sakura's shiny strawberry blond curls. The rest simply turned into a bunch of noise, slowly becoming silent as Hinata noticed a blond boy in the corner of the field behind the school. He was staring out into the woods, seemingly talking to himself. He seemed to be enjoying the one person conversation, smiling every now and then. Hinata had unknowingly begun walking towards him, her mouth slightly agape. Until the noise started again, having noticed Tenten's hand grabbing her shoulder. "Hey!" She called, a bit too loud, almost as though she didn't recognize the fact that Hinata was at arm's length. "Don't go near that boy! He's a bad boy! Really bad! My Mom said so!" She said knowingly, a few kids nodding with her. Hinata opened her mouth to protest, but Sakura and Ino had already made up and were on their way back, waving at Hinata with their hands linked together. Hinata turned her head, blinking when she noticed the boy was gone.

A small frown formed on her face. "What's his name?" She asked, her voice a timid whisper. Sakura stopped talking, looking at Hinata with a bit of a confused look, eyebrow raised. "Who?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips, copying Ino's sudden stance. "B-blond boy..." Hinata finally managed, putting her hands in her coat pockets, the wind a bit colder than before. Sakura shrugged. "That's just Naruto. Hey Hinata, what are you doing asking a weirdo's name?" Hinata choked, "I-" before she could say anything the bell rang and the children were called back inside. Hinata didn't even see Naruto enter, he was already sitting in the far corner at his desk, muttering to himself. She figured he must have come in before them.

He didn't have any lunch, though he looked rather hungry. He also never talked to anyone, but the children did enjoy poking at him with a stick.

For the next few weeks, Hinata watched Naruto quietly, just out of the corner of her eye. Today she listened to Kiba, a new friend of hers (dubbed her 'boyfriend' by none other than Ino) go on about his new puppy. Hinata smiled dreamily as she thought about how soft and warm a tiny dog must be... Soft and warm… A dusting of pink fell across her cheeks as she remembered falling into the Naruto the other day. He was actually rather cold, and her hand hurt a little where she'd hit his ribs but… Regardless, remembering it made her feel warm inside. Kiba, having noticed Hinata staring off into the distance, waved his hand in her face. "Hinata! Hiinaattaaaaa!" he continued for another five minutes before the dreamy expression left her face, in response, she turned scarlet and fell to the ground. Sakura began her usual call. "Teach-Teach-Teacccchheerrr! HINATA FELL OVER AGAAINNNN!"

* * *

Hinata awoke with a doctor hovering over her, a surprisingly worried Father in the background. "I do believe she's anemic." The Doctor said, conviction heavy in his tone. "I recommend picking up some iron supplements at the Pharmacy... Perhaps tomorrow evening?" Her Father nodded, following the doctor the entrance of their rather large, but rather empty home. "Of course."

The very next evening, Hinata's driver was given the name of a shop and directions to drive her there. "Ichiraku's Pharmacy and Grocery" was located just at the edge of the woods (which made the driver rather nervous, nervous enough to urge the Hyuga heiress to hurry with her errand.) Just as she began to push open the glass door, the name 'Naruto' leaked through. They didn't appear to notice her, so she listened through the crack. "I'm worried, wouldn't Naruto be here by now? I saw him this morning. He's three hours late— he never skips stopping in here." The words brought a blurry memory to her mind, somehow caught in the middle of her daydreaming. Some boys were talking about hunting monsters for the sake of the town. Hinata's foot slipped, causing the door to creak open, causing a ding. Teuchi smiled from behind the counter. "I assume you're Miss Hyuga?" The small girl squeaked, handed the man the envelope and barely managed a thank you before she left with a jar full of pills in hand. The name Naruto drifted through her wandering mind...

* * *

In a ditch, not too far from the school, a little blond boy lay. Muttering to himself as the once apparent bruises on his face began to fade, the only evidence of ever being wounded being dried blood, which covered almost half of his body. The demon inside was laughing. How cruel little children could be without ever knowing. The blessing of ignorant parents. "Yeah." Naruto nodded to himself, the demon slowly ceased his laughing, leaving an apparent grin on his face. "You don't even know what I mean, kit." The child frowned in response, rolling over in the dirt. "Whaddoya' mean then?" He whispered, resting his head against a large rock that stuck out of the mud. "Perhaps when you're older, you'll understand. Perhaps then."

After an hour or two, the small child stumbled up from his small pit, his clothing covered in a mixture of blood and caked on mud. He didn't bother trying to clean himself off. He casually glanced around for his backpack, and when it wasn't to be found, the small boy headed on his way home. It was going to be a good thirty minute walk to get home, not that he minded. Naruto hardly ever minded anything, he had learned long ago, from the monster inside of his head that silence provided an innocence that protest could not replace.

* * *

When he was four, stumbling along the gravel road towards the school house, a voice appeared inside of his head. It was a voice that had practically raised him. Kurama. Naruto himself was not sure just what Kurama was, why, sometimes he figured it was none of his business. Possessed or not, Naruto wasn't going to kick a demon out on the road. What kind of person would kick out a fox with no den? Though, Naruto technically was his den. Back when he had just turned five, Kurama had told him he'd had a few other dens. None of them lasted long enough. He was simply too big for them, and his previous homes burst. The blond remembers asking him if that's what the dark stains in his room were from. The fox had replied yes. Admittedly, Naruto had become a little scared at that. He didn't want to end up as a stain in his room; but the fox had reassured him that his new home was plenty big enough, which was why he intended to stay there for a very, very long time. He said that his last dens that were big enough, were both female, and much older than Naruto when they became his den. Most newborns died if they were forced to become his den, yet the tiny blond bundle had been plenty big enough. Naruto asked if he was fat. Kurama had laughed at him, sending the child into a hissy fit. Sometime later the fox apologized, but the blond had already long forgotten.

* * *

Naruto stopped, crossing his arms as the chilly evening finally hit his skin. He shivered, asking Kurama if he could raise his body temperature a bit. The demon had shook his head. A glass of orange juice didn't provide much to work with, especially since it'd been the only thing he'd eaten today. "You need to go hunting. You suck at it, being such a little shit and all, but I'm pretty sure you can get a rabbit or something. Probably could even leave some for tomorrow." Naruto's stomach growled, his hand unconsciously lifting to pat it. He frowned. He hated the taste of raw meat, and whenever he let Kurama influence him, that's usually how he ate it. Plus, he still remembers kids blanching in class when he started choking up fur and bits of bone in the middle of the math lesson. "C-can... Can we skin it first this time?" The fox snorted a short reply. "Sure. Why not." Naruto let out a sigh of release, stopping to let a car pass by before he crossed the road.

* * *

Huddled in the back seat, with the small pharmacy bag in hand, Hinata Hyuga peered out of the backseat's window. Ko, her driver, had turned the heat on high, and she could hear it in the background as she watched greenery pass by. About halfway home, Ko stopped at a familiar looking stop sign. It was the one she saw every morning on the way to school. Shifting in her seat, the small girl noticed someone a few feet away, standing at the other side of the road. Straining her eyes, and leaning against the window, she recognized the face beneath the caked on mud, his eyes shining red. Naruto Uzumaki.

* * *

He waved at her, figuring it was the polite thing to do. She was staring at him after all, and most people tried to avoid looking at him. So he flashed her a grin and waved his blood covered hand and watched as her car pulled away, surprised when she had raised a hand in response, waving at him with her mouth jaw hanging open. It was almost sort of nice. Like a good luck charm for the hunt. When he was sure the car had left, Naruto continued down the road. After walking for about an hour or so, he finally made it to the edge of the woods. He could feel the demon inside of him becoming anxious, his stomach swirling as he felt canines poke the edges of his bottom lips. "We're gonna skin it, right?" The fox nodded irritably. Naruto slowly lowered himself to the ground, preparing himself for the surge of adrenaline that was about to enter his veins. Hopefully Kurama would keep his word.

* * *

Blood drips from the corner of his mouth as Naruto enters his home. A lone standing Victorian style building in precisely the very middle of the woods. A few windows were broken, and the paint chipping, but the water was still running and surprisingly, he had electricity for some odd reason. He flicked the light switch on, leaving a bloody print where his index finger had hit it. In his other hand he carried a half-eaten rabbit, hanging from his fingers by the tail. Its upper torso was completely gone, head and all. The blond swung the fridge door open, slinging the mutilated animal inside. He honestly just wanted to take a bath, and Kurama had already gone to sleep for the night.

He hopped upstairs, practically dragging his feet behind him as he headed to the bathroom, eager to strip himself of his clothing and sit in a tub full of hot water. He glanced in the mirror as he removed his shirt, throwing it on to the cracked tile below him. He flashed himself a grin, blood stained teeth appearing in the mirror. The tub fills quickly, hot water releasing steam into the air as Naruto dropped his shorts and steps inside, letting the heat sink into his tired bones. Resting his head against the back of the tub, he closes his eyes for a few moments. No, his life isn't so bad. At least, at this moment he doesn't think so.

* * *

On a hill far away from Naruto's humble abode, Hinata lays on crisp white sheets, unable to sleep. Despite her sleeplessness, a small smile has formed on her lips. It had been the first time he'd ever waved at her, and sure, his eyes had looked a bit weird, but still. It was the first time she'd ever seen him wave at anyone. Her heart danced at this, a piano playing faintly in the background. She could easily see it dancing to that same tune forever.

* * *

Hiiii loveliesss, glad to see you. Yeaaah. This has been sitting on my desktop forever, originally posted to tumblr, and well, I read it again and was like, "Hey this ain't so bad" so I cleaned it up, added two thousand more words and decided to upload it. Don't worry. Two Souls Walking is the next thing to do on my list, and then Orange String, and finally maybe I'll get to A Simple Prayer.

Wish me luck guys.


End file.
